Claudius' ban

3

Tamila contacted the King of the Paris tribe and he agreed to permit her to receive a plot of land more land inwards. She didn't have to pay for the land, because it was uninhabited. The British Paris people were only around 300.000 people in number and they had around 30 populated towns and many smaller villages. Their towns were not the same as the ones in the Roman world. And the Paris nation was tribal. Foreigners were not easily incorporated into mainstream society. Iron, brass and pigs were their main export product to other British tribes, Ireland and the Rhine area. The plot of land was at large hillside covered with grass, it was also near a forest with small ponds and tiny streams. At the Paris people women were permitted to own property, to divorce and to initiate court cases. This in contrast to the Roman world where female empowerment was perceived as barbaric, uncivilised, humiliating and anathema (ancient Greek expession for ''accursed!''). Because Tamila was unmarried she was not permitted to rent the land to others. Tamila paid Roman workers from Thrace, who migred to the for work to the Iceni kingdom, to build a small village of 12 houses, a central artificial pond, paved Streets and a wooden hedge around the property. The seventeen soldiers received a small house at the edge of the property to live on, seperate from the village itself. The construction took only five weeks, they also constructed a small bath after the Roman design. Tamila decided to build the village after a Roman design, this to confuse future Roman settlers: if she made it in a celtic style the soldiers might raid and exploit it. If build in a Roman style, they might confuse it for a Roman villa and consequently leave it alone.

After the construction was finished, she invited her mother Pia and the remainder of the Household of the former luso-nerigos leader Parisius. While Tamila waited for her relatives to arrive, a war broke out in the country of the Catuvellauni. They were resisting the occupation of Rome. This, however, didn't alarm the Parisians, because the battles were mainly located in the south of the British isles. At the same time, there were roads constructed in the land of the Paris people, also military camps were constructed. The Paris'leaders enforced the Roman taxation upon their people, this was part of the deal they had with Emperor Claudius during his 16 day attendence in the new province.

Once day when Verita was washing some vegetables, Tamila was away, an elder man entered the village. He was joined by two male servants.

''Good afternoon... who are you looking Sir?''
''Good afternoon. Are you Tamila?''
''Ehm...''
''Look. We need to talk?''
''About what?''
''Times are changing around here. Soon the Romans will construct a capital for the Paris country.. well.. we won't be a country anymore, but a district within the Province. The King announced that a large part of the Roman navy fleed will be housed in our shores also. And there's another thing... women will not be permitted anymore to have a voice in public nor economic affairs''
''What are you implying?''
''What I'm suggesting is that you'll either get marreid to a Parisian noble man.. or you leave this region and sell this village to the government. Those seventeen soldiers are not loyal. Where are they now?''
''Marriage? Will you provide?''
''There are festivals coming month. Join them and you'll probably find a mate. We will be glad to receive you and incorporate you into the community''
''Come inside Sir, you and your slaves..''

They enter in. They sit at the table and she pours wine for them. While the men are conversing, Tamila arrives with the two other slaves. Verita explains everything, also that he confused her for Tamila. Tamila entrusted to situation unto her and she hid with the two other slaves. Verita cooked a vegetarian dish and served it to the men. While they were eating, she took a piece of paper with a pen. She took several of the jewelry of Tamila and put them on and went to the men.

''Gentlemen, I'm willingly to make a treaty with you?''
''A treaty?!'' the men look surpriced
''You see this seal over here?'' she shows them a brass seal ''This is a seal that used to belong to a tribal chief in Western Nerigos. Ludovicus was his name. He was the ruler of a mixed tribe for almost 40 years. His son, who was a half Parisian, succeeded him but he was assasinated by his own council shortly afterwards. My family is wealthy and they are now on their way to see this new villa. They will arrive probably within 2 till 5 days from now. We have a lot of fertile land in our region, which the Nerigos tribes have surrendered unto us. So.. let's make a trade agreement between my household and yours. I'm sure you want to be in an advantage once the Roman occupation has furthered. Remmeber that the Romans have the tradition of exploiting their conquered lands. And never forget that corruption and cruelty are their native language. Many Parisian will be made slaves and forced to labour in the British mines, British industry and in the houses of Roman citizens who will migrate towards this region. So.. let's help each other out here..''

The men think for a moment and they discuss the matter.

''Look my terms are that this piece of land will remain to my Household, in exchange you will receive grain and tin from our district. Tin can be bombined with the wealth of copper her to make bronze. Bronze can be good for export. You guys are good with making metal art! The art of the Romans is quite boring and male-centred. You guys show more honour to your women. Well, make more bronze objects... and with that you will be helping my homeland to flourish. The Parisians took in 3000 poor people and some banned people from Nerigos. Jehuda town, and the Jehuda district, has around 14 thousands people and we have a shortage of workers. So.. I also would like you to send workers to us. The grain, which we have in abundance, can be saved as an emergency supply in case an economic recession hits. What do you say?''
''I'm fine with it''

She wrote the document and sealed it. The elder man signed it also. She copied the text on another piece of paper and they did the same thing.

''That's finished!'' she was glad ''Now I would like you to send your workers soon, so that when my relatives arrive, Queen Pia of Jehuda included, they can discuss business further with her servants''

The men leave.

After they left, Tamila and the other two come in.

''You did remarkably well!''
''How did you do that?''
''Who teached you such skills?''

She smiles.
''My parents who abandoned me were pirates. I learned from them to be opportunist and to seize every potential and every beneficial opportunity when it arrives. You never know if an opportunity would repeat itself. You don't know tomorrow. The only day you have is today. So you do what you have to do today. By the way, Tamila, your mother often talks about a your former leader Ludo and his son whom he begot with his Parisian concubine. And she often tells stories of how effective those men were in governance. So I had my inspiration from them.... And Tamila, I didn't plan to pretend to be in your place.. From now on... its on to you and your mum to deal with these people..''

Tamila was surpriced.

''You want a dish?''

The women eat the remainder of the vegetarian food that Verita prepared for the men.
The next morning one of the seventeen guards awake them.

''Your relatives are here.. they are at the harbour and they are awating you, ma'am''

Tamila joins them and leaves the other three behind.